SAFETY SERVICES

Safety Services Office
3/F PRC Bldg. Bonifacio Drive, Port Area, Manila
Phone: 527-83-84 to 97 loc. 129 or 128
Fax: 527-99-79
 

About

Safety Services is tasked with a nationwide educational campaign to ensure the health and safety of the Filipino people. To effectively carry out these tasks, the Safety Services program includes the conduct of training in:

- First Aid
- Basic Life Support - Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
- Water Safety (Swimming, Aquatic Lifesaving & Life Guarding)
- Accident Prevention
- Other basic rescue courses (EMT-Basic, Rope Rescue Technician, Vehicular Extrication, etc.)

The Safety Services also renders first aid, ambulance, beach patrol, life guarding and basic rescue services. It also encourages physical fitness and practice of skills learned through its First Aid Olympics and Swim and Stay-fit programs.

Profile

The Safety Services is one of the service arms of Philippine Red Cross tasked with a nationwide educational campaign to ensure the health and safety of the Filipino people. To effectively carry out this role, it offers the following trainings to the public:

First Aid Courses
The courses aim to equip participants with knowledge, skills and confidence in providing care for a person who has been injured or suddenly become ill. The trainings include lecture and demonstration on bandaging techniques, emergency transfers and common emergencies.

Basic Life Support-Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (BLS-CPR) Courses
The courses aim to equip participants with knowledge, skills and confidence to perform management to a person whose breathing and heartbeat suddenly stopped. The trainings include lecture and demonstration on performing foreign airway obstruction management, rescue breathing and CPR.

Swimming Courses
The courses aim to make an individual learn scientifically the different styles of swimming strokes. The trainings include lecture and demonstration on the fundamentals of aquatic skills and stroke proficiency.

Water Safety Courses
These aim to teach survival and lifesaving techniques. The trainings include lecture and demonstration on the fundamentals of survival techniques, such as threading and disrobing, and saving a drowning person.

Accident Prevention Courses
The courses aim to instill safety consciousness to the public and minimize, if not totally prevent, accidents at home, in the office or in the work place.

In addition, it provides opportunities for trained volunteers to apply the knowledge and skills that they have learned from the trainings.

First Aid Station
Is a station providing emergency care or treatment before regular medical aid can be obtained. This is manned by Red Cross staff and volunteers who are trained in first aid and BLS-CPR. This may be set up during different events.

Ambulance Service/Patient Conduction
Is a service which provides transportation of sick or injured people to, from or between places of treatment and, in some instances, also provides out-of-hospital medical care to the patient.

Highway First Aid Station
Is a service rendered to victims of accidents along the highways or during events or holidays wherein large numbers of automobiles on the road are expected.

Beach Patrol/Lifeguarding Service
Is a service which provides public or private swimming places with trained water safety personnel who are not supervised by a lifeguard. This is particularly useful during summer months when big crowds go to public swimming areas (swimming pools and beaches).

Other programs to supplement service promotion include:

First Aid Olympics
This is an activity wherein first aid and BLS-CPR graduates can practice the knowledge and skills they have acquired to develop mastery. This also aims to develop sportsmanship and camaraderie among the different groups of first aid graduates.

Mass Education on CPR
This is a crash course on BLS-CPR in public places like malls and parks. Passersby are encouraged to learn the basics of CPR and experience hands-on practice on a mannequin while being guided by a facilitator on how to perform the techniques.

50-Mile Swim and Stay Fit Program
This is a planned activity to encourage graduates of any of the water safety courses to swim regularly and frequently until 50 or more miles is reached. Its main goal is to improve the physical fitness of the swimmer and to encourage regular swimming.

Christmas Safety Tips

The Christmas season is a time for countless parties, family reunions and exchanges of presents. However, this is also a time when several incidents of fire due to faulty Christmas lights and crimes such as robbery holdup occur.

"It is said that the Philippines has the longest Christmas celebration in the world. It starts from the onset of 'ber' months until the Epiphany in January. That means, our heightened alertness for any untoward incident during the Christmas season lasts for about five months," said Philippine Red Cross Chairman Richard Gordon.

Stay safe while keeping the festive mood alive during the Yuletide season by following these reminders:

At Home
1. Examine your Christmas decors like Christmas lights and lanterns. Make sure that these were inspected by the Department of Trade and Industry.
2. Put up your Christmas tree and decorations away from curtains and other combustible materials.
3. Avoid leaving Christmas lights turned on overnight to avoid fire or overheating.
4. Avoid octopus lines to minimize overloading of electrical system.
5. Never place appliance cords or extension cords under a carpet.
6. Do not leave infants or children alone in places where they are in danger of falling or near electrical outlets or gadgets and candles.
7. Always position appliances (TV, computer, sound system, heating appliances, etc.) in a spacious area to prevent overheating.
8. Repair faulty functioning appliances.
9. Use appliances at a specified voltage only.
10. Unplug appliances by grasping the plug, not by yanking the cord, when not in use and when leaving the house.

To Avoid Incidents of Holdup/Snatching

1. Avoid wearing jewelries, talking over the phone and texting in a crowded area.
2. When waiting for a public utility vehicle, do not stay in a dark area.
3. It is best to call for a company taxi in case you will go home at midnight or early in the morning. Lock all doors once inside to prevent "bukas kotse gang" from declaring hold up. Do not sleep inside the taxi. Make sure to get the plate number of the taxi and give it to a friend in case something happens.

Safety Tips During Undas

Home
-Do not leave a burning candle unattended.
-Do not place a candle near curtains or other combustible materials.
-For burns, the first aid management is to relieve the pain by immersing the burned area in cold water or by applying a wet, cold cloth until the part is pain-free both in and out of the water.
-Unplug all electrical appliances before leaving the house.
-Avoid octopus line to minimize overloading of electrical system.
-Never place appliance cords or extension cords under a carpet.
-Do not leave infants or children alone in places where they are in danger of falling or near electrical outlets or gadgets and candles.
-Always position appliances (TV, computer, sound system, heating appliances, etc.) in a spacious area to prevent overheating.
-Unplug appliances by grasping the plug, not by yanking the cord, when not in use.
-Repair faulty functioning appliances.
-Use appliances at specified voltage only.
-Unplug appliances when lightning and thunderstorm strike.
-Before checking for electrical trouble, be sure to switch off the main power.
-Cover all outdoor and indoor electrical outlets if not in use.
-If appliances, such as gas stoves, require lighting with match, always light the match first and hold it at the point of lighting before you turn on the stove.
-Keep kitchen utensils, especially knives, out of children's reach.
-Lock your house when you leave.

En route to the Cemetery
-Bring an umbrella, face towel, water, food and fan to avoid heat cramps or heat exhaustion.
-If you bring a car, make sure that you check it, the water in radiator, battery, gas, oil, breaks, tool kit, flashlight, food and first aid kit.
-Park your car near a guard or police station to avoid carnapping.
-Dress in light clothing to avoid heat exhaustion, especially among children.

Inside the Cemetery
-It is best to go to the cemetery early in the morning before or after November 1 to avoid huge crowds.
-Avoid drinking liquor.
-Avoid bringing unnecessary sharp objects.
-Avoid bringing children inside the cemetery as they might get lost.
-In case of minor wounds, clean the wounded area with soap and water before applying antiseptics like povidone iodine (not alcohol), and cover the wound with gauze.
-In case of severe bleeding, apply direct pressure over the wound using gauze and bring the patient to the hospital or to a nearby first aid station inside the cemetery.
-In case of contusion, apply ice compress over the area for more than 20 minutes (intermittent).
-In case of fainting, do not give ammonia to the patient. Instead, let him/her lie, with feet raised 8-12 inches above. If the patient is conscious, ventilate him/her, loosen his/her tight clothing and give him beverages.
-In case of chest pain, transport the patient to the hospital.
-In case of cramps, apply cold compress, rest the affected area and elevate, if possible. Have the victim stretch out the affected muscle to counteract the cramp. Massage the cramped muscle firmly but gently.
Seek medical help if cramps persist.